‘Gutted’ Ryan has to pull out of title fight

Woolridge…injury KOs big fight. Pic: Manjit Narotra/BCB

THE hotly anticipated title clash between Ryan Woolridge and Hamza Azeem has hit the rocks only days before the big night.

The pair were scheduled to box for the vacant Midlands light-middleweight belt at Aldersley Stadium, Wolverhampton, on Saturday night in what looked a true 50-50 encounter.

But last Wednesday, Bloxwich’s Ryan broke the news injury has forced him out. That’s a hammer blow for the likeable southpaw and Birmingham’s Hamza: both have sweated bullets in the build-up.

It’s also hit promoters BCB hard because bill-topper Woolridge flogs an awful lot of tickets. On social media, he said: Unfortunately, I’ve had to withdraw from my upcoming fight due to injury. “Hopefully it can be rearranged for the near future, depending on recovery time. It’s not something we’ve wanted to do, as a team, after we’ve put so much hard work, money and time into it. I’m gutted. But health comes first and, hopefully, we can get it right ready for the comeback.”

The good news is, BCB boss Errol Johnson seems committed to staging the 10 rounder at a later date.

It appears 25-year-old Ryan has fallen victim to something of a freak injury. He felt a sharp pain while laying slabs at home, thought nothing more of it, yet was forced to turn away, clutching his shoulder, less than a minutes into a later sparring session.

A hospital visit and MRI scan revealed a herniated disc in his neck.

“They can fix it without an operation,” Pete said, “it’s something that can be fixed with physio and rest, but it will take a bit of time – Ryan won’t be out before Christmas. I think Errol is going to put the fight on hold. What happened could’ve happened in the first round of the title fight, so it’s a blessing in disguise, really.

“It is what it is. Ryan’s disappointed, we were well up for it. At long last we’d got our teeth into something, but, hopefully, it can be re-arranged.”

Azeem has taken the setback on the chin, telling me: “I was a bit shocked by the news, but it is what it is, an injury is an injury. Hopefully, it can now take place on a Birmingham show which would suit me better.

He’s hopeful for December, which now seems doubtful.

Azeem added: “The way I look at it is more time, more preparation.”